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Saturday, 28 March 2015

Over the
last 4 and a half years we have sunk millions of pounds of government cash into
the roll out of broadband. Slowly but surely England's most rural county is
getting better and more broadband coverage. This last
few months the Northumberland County Council tell me they have done the
following:

"Further
cabinets have gone live in Corbridge, Wylam and Hexham meaning that all
cabinets are now live and accepting orders for fibre in these three
communities.

A further
cabinet is live in Ponteland. This builds
on the following areas that have been live for at least a month":

Greenhead

Gilsland

Allendale

Bardon Mill

Great Whittington

Haydon Bridge

Haltwhistle

Most of Ponteland

Most of Prudhoe

Riding mill

Slaley

Stamfordham

Albemarle

Stocksfield

Wark

Heddon on the Wall

I
have held specific meetings on the problems in Matfen, which I am ensuring is
in Phase 2 of the roll out. For phase 2 we have managed to lift the permitted government subsidy per property from £1700 per property to £2500. As I have said to many constituents who have contacted me - I am aware that there are other hamlets, and outlying areas, that we
are getting BT and the NCC to address.

NCC
expect the following communities to be connected by the end of 2015:

-Horsley

-Blanchland

-Whitley
Chapel

-Allenheads

-Bellingham

-Greenhaugh

-Kielder

-West
Woodburn

-Otterburn

-Rochester

-Byrness

-Elsdon

-Belsay

-Kirkharle

-Capheaton

-Kirkwhelpington

-Scots Gap

-Whalton

-Bingfield

-Hallington

I was able to speak in last months broadband debate and my speech is
here: